Loah's Cocada Recipe

How to Make Cocada
My grandmother showed me how to make Cocada when I was a teenager. This sweet is very popular in Sao Paulo, my city, and in all over Brazil too. There are many kinds of Cocada and this is only one, which is prepared with more condensed milk and less coconut than the others. We usually eat it after lunch, or anytime that we would like to eat something sweet.
Would you like to know how to make Cocada, a kind of sweet prepared with coconut? To prepare Cocada follow the steps. First of all, buy the ingredients in the supermarket or grocery store. You need one can of condensed milk, 100 g of coconut flakes, and sugar. Use the condensed milk’s can to put the sugar in to measure. It will be necessary to use a half can of sugar. After that, put all the ingredients in one medium sauce pan, and put it on the stove to cook on a mediun fire. Stir without stopping about 30 minutes until it gets more solid. Then, put the Cocada on a cookie sheet greased with butter. Wait about 30 minutes and cut in little bars.
(by Loah Sequeira)

*DAIGAKU-IMO: Candied Sweet Potatoes

Recipe by MotokoI am from Tokyo, Japan.
This is my favourite Japanese dessert.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Deep Fried Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes- 14oz
Vegitable Oil
Sesame(parched black sesame seeds)-1 tea spoon

Syrup
Sugar (Brown sugar is better) -2 and 1/2 oz
Water -2tsp
Soy Sauce 1 small tea spoon

Direction
1. Wash the sweet potato well, and cut into 1" triangulor pieces, and soak in water. Pat the sweet potatoes to dry.
2. Put the vegetable oil in a deep pan and heat it up to 340°F.
3. Fry the sweet potatoes until they become crispy and golden brown.
4. Take them out from the oil and put them in the syrup.
5. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top.

How to make the syrup
1. Put the sugar and water and heat and stir them until they become sticky and thick liquid.

*Daigaku-imo is a popular dessert in Japan.

Abdiel's Panamanian Recipe

Panamanian foods are very varied, but with a nutritional value, so I am giving you only one recipe. I hope you like it. (From Abdiel )

Sazon Rice
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup Basmati rice, uncooked
2. 12 ounces water or broth
3. 1/4 cup stuffed green olives, sliced if desired
4. 1/2 tablespoon olive brine, to taste
5. 1/3 cup cooked garbanzo beens
6. 1 mediium potato, peeled and chopped
7. 1 teaspoon olive oil
8. 1/2 teaspoon salt
9 1/4 teaspooon pepper
10 2-3 teaspoons dry sazon ( may use seasoned adobo)


Procedure:

First of all, you should buy everything listed above. Second, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Third, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Finally, allow to sit 5-10 minutes undisturbed, then remove lid and fluff rice with a fork before serving. After that , you can enjoy with your family that delicious Panamanian food.
Additional information:
1, You can cook everything together, or you can lightly fry the ingredients separately for a couple of minutes, but after that, you must put everything together ( same as when you are cooking white rice).
2. Sazon or adobo is something used as a seasoning
3. Pepper is a red or green pepper, but also you can put a small green chili (Mexican pepper ). That is for a better taste or flavor.